Boston, MA: Charm Bracelet Trail

The good news: This easy 7-mile shuttle hike cruises across a cross-section of New England ecosystems, from open fields to oak-maple woods to wetlands. The better news: It’s just an hour from Boston. The trail begins at the old state reform school buildings atop Rabbit Hill, then descends into the Westboro Wildlife Management Area. Skirt a meadow, then go through an old granite gate into the forest to reach shining Chauncy Lake. Hike along the shore, then follow farm roads through cornfields for a peek at Little Chauncy Pond. Pass through a white pine grove to Cedar Hill—the steep climb delivers sweeping views south to the town of Westborough. The trail then drops next to Crane Swamp, passing through a water treatment plant to reach the Sawink Farm Reservation. Info: Hiking the SuAsCo Watershed: Exploring the Woods and Waters of the Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Rivers, by Jill Phelps Kern (New England Cartographics, Inc). Map courtesy of Sudbury Valley Trustees. Hike provided by Sudbury Valley Trustees and Westborough Community Land TrustEvent and membership info: sudburyvalleytrustees.org, westboroughlandtrust.org